Mobile Card Processing Using Multiple Wireless Devices

Abstract

A taxi fare system for a vehicle includes a meter, a wireless access point carried on the vehicle, a first mobile computing device a wireless, a second mobile computing device, a display and a credit card reader. The meter is configured to receive data from the vehicle indicating distance travelled, to measure waiting time, and to calculate an amount of a passenger fare based at least on the distance travelled and the waiting time. The first mobile computing device is positioned in a driver section of the vehicle and receives data from the meter. The second mobile computing device is positioned in a passenger section of the vehicle and receive card information from the card reader. The first and second mobile computing devices are configured to wirelessly connect to the wireless access point.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]This disclosure relates to mobile card processing using multiple wireless devices, to acquisition of card information to enhance user experience, and to secure communications between devices.BACKGROUND[0002]In a conventional point-of-sale electronic credit card transaction, the transaction is authorized and captured. In the authorization stage, a physical credit card with a magnetic stripe is swiped through a merchant's magnetic card reader, e.g., as part of a point-of-sale device. A payment request is sent electronically from the magnetic card reader to a credit card processor. The credit card processor routes the payment request to a card network, e.g., Visa or Mastercard, which in turn routes the payment request to the card issuer, e.g., a bank. Assuming the card issuer approves the transaction, the approval is then routed back to the merchant. In the capture stage, the approved transaction is again routed from the merchant to the credit card processor, card ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]According to one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification, different aspects of card transaction can be divided between different mobile devices. For example, one mobile device can receive transaction details, e.g., as received from a merchant or from a meter in a taxi, whereas a customer can swipe a card and approve the transaction on another mobile device. The devices communicate wirelessly with each other on a wireless network, e.g., a WiFi hotspot, and can communicate with a payment service system, e.g., over the Internet via the WiFi hotspot. Secure communicatio

Problems solved by technology

Although mobile card readers are available, e.g., in taxies, such systems are often

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